I shouldnt be able to write this blog entry. I should be over half way to Cameroon.

I started feeling sick in my stomach on Thursday night, which I'm still dealing with. Between Friday morning and last night I had a hard time staying hydrated and was really weak. I was in bed asleep almost all day yesterday. I slept from 9 last night until about 1:45 this afternoon, with a 3 hour window of being awake. I still feel like I could sleep. I should have left around 6 this morning but I decided to stay because I dont think I could have made the 14 hour ride feeling this way.

Its ok though. I have peace about staying and I know that God must have a reason for me to stay back home.

We had a team come in from Wisconsin on Thursday night. Their Job while they are there is to put a roof on the church at Okolasee, which it actually where we first started working at the beginning of the summer. Right now the church meets under a mango tree. So ill be able to work with them this week. SO. Just please pray that I still am able to get over this stomach problem.

I cant believe that I have less than 2 weeks here. This summer went faster than any other.

I love Bongolo.

I got to go on rounds with a nurse at the hospital on Friday. I watched another nurse clean and dress an amputees wound. The woman had Diabetes and so the amputated a little below the hip. Down the hall was a man with tuberculosis who didnt have money to pay for food. He wasnt gaining any weight and needed food with more protein. The Nurse I was with was able to get the equivalent of $20 for him and his family for the week.
I could see myself working in a place like Bongolo Hospital.
I wish we could have stayed longer. It was an awesome time.

SO. I just found out last night that I will be going to Cameroon on Saturday with a local church. Its the first missions trip from the national church, with about 8 from the church going and 4 of us interns. some will be working on building a church, and others will get to run medical clinics. Only problem is that its a 14 hour drive. I hate long car rides. I better get some Dramamine. Just pray for safety for our trip and wisdom for the driver. Also for health. Dont worry Dad, its a safe place.

Love you guys

Smells like BBQ in here...

We left at 6 AM and got here just before 6 PM yesterday. We only had one flat tire and it wasn't as bad of a trip as I remember. We got in and ate at Barak Obama cafe. Haha I love Bongolo.

This morning we went to put screen on the materinity ward windows, but one of the nurse missionaries knew that a few of us wanted to be able to see all that the doctors and nurses do, so I took the opportunity. After they put us in scrubs, another girl and I, went on rounds with the surgeons, which was lead by Dave Thompson, who is an awesome guy and was the one who started the Hospital. We saw a man who had been hit by a car and other injuries like that. After an hour or so we were able to go watch a surgery in the OR. The first surgery was an umbilical hernia on a woman. That surgery took only about a half hour, then we waited around as they prepped another woman for surgery.

We watched them give her an epidural, which was the only thing that really bothered me. It was about a four inch needle going onto her spine. That was nasty. We watched them remove two cysts from her ovaries, which was also awesome to see. In both surgeries we were able to stand right there next to the table. I was close enough to smell it. Simply awesome.

This afternoon a few of us went down to the river down below the hospital. One of my few fears is being in water that I cant see in that's over my head. I had to get over it quick.
It was so awesome. I wish I could had taken my camera to get pictures of swimming in a river in the middle of a rain forest. All I could think about at the time was the movie Anaconda. Is that sad?

So. Not sure was is going on tomorrow, except that I hope to be able to shadow a nurse or something in the hospital.

Days like today make me just want to worship. Its so awesome to see Gods plans unravel.

Isaiah 55:8

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.

So, just keep praying that as my time here is winding to a close, that God will keep revealing Himself and His plan all the more.

Miss you all

This week was good.

So. I leave for Bongolo Hospital in the morning. Ill be back Saturday night. I still havnt packed yet.

Not really sure all that we will be doing. I know that we will be working on the nursing school, and I hope to possibly go with some of the nurses in the hospital.

Mmmm not much has changed here. work at cftac is basically done. I also have a chance to go to Cameroon next week, to work with a local church that is sending the first short term team in the country.

I think ill be able to update this sometime this week.
Miss you guys

Mmmmmm so Ive been told that I need to update this thing. I dont really have any earth shattering news, yet I have been loving whats going on here.

Ive been working at CFTAC, digging a trench for a water line, which was around 200 feet deep by 18 inches deep. The water line will be going to a guest house on the CMA's property so that the site can bring in revenue.

The Hope House kids are great.
The Clinic is awesome.
Everything is the same.

Except that God is always showing Himself to me, I am needing His direction more and more and needing to run to Him.

I realized today that this is exactly one month until I leave. Im excited to see friends and family, yet I feel like I could stay here and just keep working. Its exciting to see where God has me next and where it will be. Its hard to trust that He will reveal His plan for my future, yet He is Good. So Ill wait

Anyway, like I said, not much is new. Love and miss you guys.

^{Psalm 33:13-15
13}The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
¹⁴From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
¹⁵He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.